Pope Sergius II

Pope Sergius II (790-24 January 847) was Pope from 844 to 847, succeeding Pope Gregory IV and preceding Pope Leo IV.

Biography
Sergius was born in 790 in Rome of noble birth. In 844 AD, the nobility consecrated him as pope, while Antipope John VIII was elected by popular acclaim. The opposition was suppressed, but Sergius ordered John to be spared. He was consecrated immediately by the nobles and bishops, although without the permission of the Frankish court, in betrayal of the Constitutio Romana of 824. Louis II of Italy was sent to re-establish Emperor Lothaire of Italy's hegemony over the pope, and Louis was crowned king of Lombardy as an accomodation by the pope. Sergius' reign was a bad one for the papacy in other regards; the Saracens sacked Rome in 846 AD, and simony (the purchasing of church positions) was common under his rule. He died in 847 AD.